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Summary of the impact

In research that challenges the dichotomy of music/ noise, Drever has
investigated the properties and subjective effects of the high volumes
produced by ultrafast hand dryers, finding that it is highly aversive for
vulnerable groups including people with dementia, sensory impairments, and
autistic spectrum disorders, in some cases exacerbating their social
avoidance. These effects have been communicated to the public, industry
professionals, and policymakers through a combination of creative art
works and presentations of the research findings in varied public
settings. They have been widely reported in the international media, via
both general interest and specialist publications and programmes. He has
worked closely with the UK's Noise Abatement Society and with industrial
designers, who have welcomed his input to helping them improve hand dryer
design.

Underpinning research

John Drever has worked at Goldsmiths continuously since 2003 as Lecturer
(and now Senior Lecturer) in Composition. In 2008 he co-founded and became
Director of the Music Department's Unit for Sound Practice Research. The
USPR fuses creative practice with music computing, audio technologies and
unorthodox field studies to explore interactions between the body,
ambisonics and wave field synthesis. In its mission to interrogate the
social impact of sonic environments, it combines the application of field
and studio-based artistic techniques with accredited methods of acoustic
measurement to investigate the auditory experiences both of audiences for
sound installation and creative performance and of de facto
`users' of products or activities which intrinsically entail exposure to
sound and noise.

The present case study, exemplifying this mission, derives from Drever's
investigation of the sonic properties and sensory/affective consequences
of a ubiquitous societal experience: the noise made by the ultrafast hand
dryers which are now found in most public conveniences. Expelling air at
tremendous speeds to strip moisture off hands, their marketing draws on
notions of muscularity: "blade", "blast", "hurricane", "jet", "turbo" and
"typhoon". Whilst they represent an industrial engineering success story
which chimes with the contemporary sustainability agenda, the `sonic
footprint' of these machines and their effects on individuals who are
particularly sensitive to loud noise had not previously been investigated.

The study originated from Drever's participation in a national 9-week
project which brought together sound artists, acousticians, designers,
policy-makers and researchers to explore the relationship between sound
and built environment. Entitled "Ways of Hearing: a Proto-Academy in
Listening, Sound and City Futures", it was organised by Sound and
Music in cooperation with MAAP, MUSARC and Arup, and enabled individual
practitioners to develop new design approaches, processes and innovations.
In this context Drever connected with the architect Fred Manson, who had
recently designed state-of-the-art toilet facilities in Hong Kong, and
Hugh Huddy, a partially sighted sound artist then leading the development
of corporate policy on accessibility for the Royal National Institute for
the Blind. The resulting focus on hand dryer noise was of interest to
Drever and the USPR not only in its own right but because it served as a
methodological paradigm for understanding the impact of noise and
soundscapes at individual and societal levels, and for deploying the
findings to inform debate, public policy, and product design.

In essence, the study investigated the auditory characteristics and
effects of a selection of popular brands of hand dryer installed in public
washrooms. Given Drever's interest in whether certain subgroups of the
population find the noise particularly aversive, he sought advice from Anya Ustaszewski, a composer who
is herself on the autistic spectrum and works as a disability equality
trainer, and from Jo-Anne Bichard, a design anthropologist who has
expertise in ethnographic studies of public sanitation environments. He
also consulted with diverse professionals including acoustic engineers,
urban designers, architects, product designers, and environmental health
specialists. The resultant multi-dimensional methodology involved acoustic
testing at the BRE [Building Research Establishment] laboratories; in
situ environmental acoustics and noise assessment; field recording;
and a social survey.

He found that a single hand dryer, when located in a small public
washroom with highly reflective surfaces, created as much noise as the
aggregate effect of nineteen of the same machines in a free field
environment (as measured in the BRE anechoic chamber); furthermore, a high
proportion of the energy was compacted in the high-frequency range.[1][2]
The survey identified several subgroups for whom loud hand dryer noise led
to elevated anxiety, fear, and confusion: these included infants; the
elderly; partially sighted people; hearing aid users; and people with
dementia, cerebral palsy, Ménière's disease, phonophobia, hyperacusis, or
hyperacute hearing in the context of autism and Asperger's syndrome. Some
even reported having to avoid use of public or workplace toilet
facilities, exacerbating their social exclusion.[3]

Drever has complemented these empirical findings with practice-based
research exploring the subjective effects of hand dryer noise through two
sonic art works, both of which have attracted considerable public interest
and media attention (see section 4 for details):

sanitary tones: ayre #1 [Airblade] (60mins; 2012)[4]
The first étude in a suite of hand dryer sound energy studies, this
features a Dyson Airblade™ which was recorded in BRE's large anechoic
chamber. Ex-situ recording captured the inherent sound energy of
the device. The work slowly unfolds shards of frequency band extracted
from the densely compacted, turbulent white noise generated from the
10-second cycle of interfering parallel air sheets traveling at 400 mph.

Litany of the Hand Dryers (20 mins; 2013)[5]
features a 5 year old child with sensitive hearing introducing
recordings of different brands of hand dryers and singing their names.

He has also presented this research at a workshop[6]
organised by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology [COST]
network to facilitate exchange between international soundscape experts on
the impact of the environment on health and quality of life. This workshop
focused on the exploration of practical methods for assessing and
improving soundscapes in Brighton, and was open to the general public,
stakeholders and those involved in policy.

References to the research

Evidence of the quality of the research: The
originality, significance, and rigour of this research, uniquely
investigating not just the sound itself but its interaction with the
physical context and qualitative aspects of the auditory experience, is
evidenced by its acceptance for presentation at, and reporting in the
formal proceedings of, prestigious international academic conferences
including [1] and [3] below. Hard/electronic copies are available on
request from Goldsmiths Research Office.

1. Drever JL (2011) `Sanitary
Ambiance: a study of current auditory ambiances of public toilets in
England'. Urban Design and Urban Society. The Ludwig Maximilian
University of Munich, 3rd International Ambiance Network
Conference.

2. Drever JL (2013) `Sanitary Ambiance: the noise effects of high speed
hand dryers', Sound Diaries Symposium: How are we using field
recordings to change the world? Sonic Arts Research Unit, Oxford
Brookes University, Oxford.

Details of the impact

Drever and colleagues have worked intensively to bring their findings to
the attention of the public, policy-makers, and industry professionals.
This has entailed public performances of his sonic art works; giving talks
at numerous public events; and dissemination via a range of media
channels. He has worked closely with the UK's long-established Noise
Abatement Society [NAS],[1] participating with them in
networking events at the Palace of Westminster, giving public talks, and
publishing in their journal SoundScape. Since 2011 he has also been an
advisor to its international eco-award programme, Quiet
Mark, which is run jointly with the Association of Noise Consultants
and recognises excellence in quiet product design.

Sonic Art works:[2] Drever's
innovative and accessible interpretative sound art compositions and
installations sought to convey to healthy adults, who are generally fairly
tolerant of short-lived loud or unpleasant noise, the striking levels of
discomfort experienced by others. Thus Sanitary Tones has been
broadcast in its entirety several times, including in the `AV Festival: As
Slow As Possible', curated by People Like Us (Tyneside, 2012) and 88view
Co-LaboRadio (Berlin, 2013); and it has been released online by
Nantes-based collective APO33's Fibrr Records (July 2013) and performed at
the launch in the Musée Des Beaux-Arts De Nantes.

Litany of the Hand Dryers was presented as a surround sound
installation at a Goldsmiths "Making a Difference" event in Feb 2013,
attended by 200+ members of the public as well as academics, and an
excerpt was broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on July 18th
2013.[2] This elicited responses from listeners which,
amongst other positive comments, described their own children's aversion
to hand dryer noise: for example one tweet
shown on the BBC webpage reads "hand dryers terrify my 3 yr old so
much he won't go in toilets ... He's not the only toddler to have that
fear".

Both works were included in a touring showcase, "Soundscapes
for the Public Realm— Exploring Practical Applications of
Soundscapes", linked to the EU COST Action TD0804 in association
with the NAS. It has been exhibited at events for policy makers in
Brighton (2011, 2012), Vitoria-Gasteiz (2012), Merano, Italy (2013) and
Naples, Italy (2013).

Public talks: Since 2011 these have included a talk about
sonic experiments as part of Brighton & Hove's White Night (an annual
participatory festival which attracts c. 25000 people);[4]
a contribution to a `Smart City Talks: Sound City' series; and a
keynote at the "Sounding Space" symposium held at Chelsea College
of Art & Design in June 2013 organised by BE OPEN, a creative
thinktank which runs conferences, exhibitions, master classes and cultural
events.

These talks have not only elicited much interest from attendees, but have
enabled some to find solutions to longstanding problems. Thus for example
a hyperacusis sufferer wrote to say that he had been triggered by
hearing one of them to contact various organisations for help, with a
successful outcome: "I now have Bose noise cancelling headphones paid
for by Access Point."[5]

Media exposure:[6] On World
Listening Day (18/07/13) Drever was interviewed on Radio 4's Today and BBC
Newcastle. The research findings were also reported in many newspapers and
blogs, including (in the UK) the Telegraph, Daily Mail, London Evening
Standard, The Independent, and (internationally) the Huffington Post,
Cyprustoday.net, and Miami Newsday. They were also picked up by numerous
specialist publications produced by public or professional interest groups
(e.g. Age UK Hearing Aids, Nursing Times, Tinnitus Support, Clearer
Hearing, Learning Disability Today). It even featured in BBC News
Magazine Monitor: Quiz of the Week's News (19/07/13).

Dissemination to and interactions with industry and public sector
policy-makers:[7] The interest of
professional organisations in this research has manifested in invitations
to Drever to participate in events including, among others:

a roundtable discussion at the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors, in preparation for the 2012 National Noise Summit organised
by Rockwool [the world's largest stonewool insulation manufacturer] and
NAS, at which over 100 experts from the architecture, construction,
acoustic and property professions gathered to discuss new ways to combat
noise pollution in the UK's built environment.2028 It included
contributions and debate from leading authorities from universities,
local and national government and major companies discussing what needs
to be done about the rising levels of noise in our towns and cities.
This contributed to the development of a Noise Manifesto to present to
Government and industry.

the European COST workshop described in section 2 above:
co-participants were members of Brighton & Hove City Council, NAS,
and an International Standards Organisation Working Group [ISO 54] which
is developing the first International standard on soundscape (due for
completion in 2015). The Director of NAS has noted[1] that
"[Drever's] work on the noise effects of high speed hand dryers and
participation in the NAS-led COST Action TD0804 and ISO Working Group
54 projects has been invaluable for knowledge sharing amongst
government and local government policy makers, industry stakeholders
and local people who would otherwise not have been exposed to the
subject."

Drever has written articles for professionals and non-professionals in
non-academic publications[8] including Blueprint
(Nov 2011), a long-established magazine focusing on design, architecture
and style; the Noise Abatement Society's ezine, SoundScape (2012,
Issue 2); the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology News Quarterly (Vol
10:3); and the Acoustics Bulletin (2013, Vol 38) of the Institute
of Acoustics, the UK's professional body for those working in acoustics,
noise and vibration. His research has also been cited in the AIA/Architectural
Record Continuing Education Program on "Hand Dryer Technology and
Accessible Restroom Design" sponsored by Dyson.

Industry has welcomed his constructive contribution to informing design
priorities. For example, Mitsubishi Electric Europe has said that "Goldsmiths
is to be congratulated on its work — identifying an issue before it
becomes even more widespread and suggesting ways that it can be
addressed," whilst hand dryer producers Airdri, Savortex and
Mitsubishi, with distributor Intelligent Hand Dryers, have written that "We
hope that Mr Drever's study will lead to a new standard as hand dryers
must be inclusive for all users."[9]

A consultant town planner with responsibility for preparing and
implementing the Greater London Authority's citywide noise strategy, to
which Drever was an advisor in 2004, commented in an email dated 7th
May 2013:[10]"Drever's work has had significant
direct impacts, for example, in raising the profile of severe noise
effects on certain vulnerable population sub-groups. It has also had
wider impacts in demonstrating the need for improving the ways in which
the noise of such equipment is measured, assessed and regulated."

Sources to corroborate the impact

All materials listed below are available in hard or electronic copy from
Goldsmiths Research Office.

1. ISO/TC
43/SC 1/WG 54 "Perceptual assessment of soundscape quality", of the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), preparing the first
International Standard on soundscape, ISO 12913-1]

Full comments of the Managing Director of the Noise Abatement Society are
available on request from Goldsmiths Research Office, and he is willing to
be contacted for corroboration.

2. Material (programmes, recordings) relating to the performances of
these works is available on request from the Research Office. The BBC
programme is available here.

3. COST
TUD0804 Final Conference (2013) Exhibition Exploring Practical
Applications of Soundscapes for the Public Realm. Curated by Lavia
and Dixon.

4. Details of these public talks are available on request from the
Research Office. Examples can also be seen at: White
Night talk; Smart
City Talk; BE
OPEN talk.

5. Copies of correspondence available on request from Goldsmiths Research
Office

6. Media exposure: Articles appeared in the publications listed within
the text plus: Boots WebMD, Before It's News, Thisismoney.co.uk, The
Beer Justice, Daily Referendum Blogspot, Capital Bay (USA), MSN UK News,
Metro Newsday, London 24, Cleaning Matters, The Times of Malta, The
Inquisitor. A set of these articles is available on request from
Goldsmiths Research Office.

7. Events with industry and policy-makers: Information on these events is
available on request from the Research Office. For brief details, see The Noise Summit, and the COST
event.

9. Industry reactions: Copies of correspondence are available on request
from Goldsmiths Research Office. The UK product specialist at Mitsubishi
Electric Europe is willing to be contacted for corroboration [contact
details provided separately]

10. The consultant's full comments are available on request from
Goldsmiths Research Office. He is willing to be contacted for
corroboration [contact details provided separately]